Expert thought

In view of the restrictive 2018 Luhansk People’s Republic statute, it is not surprising that some groups declined to apply for registration, while others were refused. The result is that many religious communities find themselves outside the law…. the 48 Baptist Union congregations have had to cease their activity altogether.

Religious Studies

In the context of recent events in the Orthodox world, disputes over the boundaries of church institutions often arise between the Patriarchate of Constantinople, Kyiv and Moscow. Ukraine accuses Russia of misappropriating the territory of the Kyiv Metropolis. In its turn, Moscow appeals to the fact that the ancient Kyiv Metropolis differs from the territory of modern Ukraine. RISU decided to clarify this topic, getting advice from historians. Based on this research, we prepared an infographic.

The first question that arises concerning Ukraine is this: with what right and based on which holy canons, does Russia today claim the ecclesiastical and administrative dependency of the Metropolis of Kyiv?

Theology and religious education

The parishioners of the Good News Church in Slovyansk, Donetsk region are set to build an educational center based on the model of the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv. A pastor of the church, Peter Dudnik told the media about it, reports Depo.Donbass citing Cvoi.City.

UCU started developing a new strategy of the University titled “UCU Strategy – 2025”. To this end, on September 14, within the framework of the Days of UCU, a strategic session will take place, presenting the current report on the UCU Strategy for 2020 and the project of a new vision of the university.

On Sunday, May 13th, Syracuse University awarded its honorary doctorate (Honoris Causa) to His Excellency Bishop Borys Gudziak, the President of the Ukrainian Catholic University and Bishop of the Eparchy of St. Volodymyr the Great in Paris, in recognition for his “vision of freedom and love of humanity” and for his courageous leadership in defying tyranny and standing with his students during the Revolution of Dignity in 2014.

The new prayer book should create a positive mood from prayer, expand the world view of the believer through familiarity with the riches of the Orthodox prayer tradition, in particular, with the practice of prayer of the Greek Church.

The Center of Jewish Studies at the National University of Ostroh Academy (hereafter, NUOA) announces the start of registration for Fall session (13-23 November) of the Interdisciplinary Certificate Academic Program for Hebrew and Biblical Studies (hereafter, the Program).

Following the five years’ preparation, on October 1, Dragomanov National Pedagogical University in Kyiv hosted a presentation of the first coherent commentary on the canonical books of the Bible entitled “Slavic Biblical Commentary. Modern biblical perspective.”

The Ukrainian Catholic University’s Faculty of Philosophy and Theology and Faculty of Humanities are pleased to announce a call for papers for the International Conference “Sacred Scripture in Ukrainian Culture: The Canonical and Extra-Canonical Writings and their Reception” to be held in Lviv, Ukraine on October 27-28, 2016

Within the special project “People of the Year”, the editorial of Novoye Vremya (New Time) magazine conferred on UCU President Borys Gudziak the “Novoye Vremya People 2015" award for the establishment of Ukrainian university according to European standards.

Rev. Dr. Bohdan Prach and faculty of the Ukrainian Catholic University wrote an open letter to the Rectors and academic communities of the Catholic Universities, Members of the European Federation of Catholic Universities – FUCE - urging them to speak up in defence of the Ukrainian PoW Nadia Savchenko.

During charitable events held in Toronto and New York on 1 and 2 November, Bishop Borys Gudziak, the president of the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU), officially announced the Comprehensive Campaign to raise funds to complete the construction of the university’s new campus and to develop new educational and research programs at UCU.

On 29-30 March, The Theological Academy of Sts. Cyril and Methodius of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate and Avhustyn Voloshyn Carpathian University in Uzhhorod were visited by Metropolitan of Czech Lands and Slovakia, Archbishop Christopher (Pulets) of Prague.